Jose Villarreal

How Acquired: Signed by the Galaxy as a Homegrown player on December 22, 2011.

The club’s second Homegrown signing, the talented forward is one of the brightest attacking prospects in MLS.

MLS Highlights

2014: Returned from Cruz Azul during the 2014 season and earned minutes with Galaxy II in USL before seeing first team minutes with the Galaxy. After joining midway through the season, Villarreal made five MLS appearances while contributing regularly to Los Dos in USL.

2013: Built off of his first season as a professional by making 22 appearances during the MLS Regular Season, in addition to making an appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Villarreal scored two goals and notched an assist as he emerged as one of the League’s brightest young prospects. Was loaned to Mexican club Cruz Azul before the 2014 season.

2012: Made his MLS debut July 14 against Portland in a 5-3 victory. Scored a game-tying goal in just his second match. Went on to make 10 total appearances in his first season with the Galaxy’s first team, scoring one goal and adding an assist.

Academy Highlights

2011: Officially joined the Galaxy Academy U-18’s ahead of the start of the 2011-12 season. He scored three times in six games for the team before signing with the first team as a Homegrown player. Prior to joining the Galaxy, Villarreal, whose brother plays for the club’s U-16 team, helped lead Pateadores to the 2011 U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship, scoring 20 goals in 31 games for the club. Prior to joining Pateadores, Villarreal represented South Bay Force, a partner club of the Galaxy Academy.

National Team

Played for the U.S. Under-18 National Team at the 2011 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in July, tallying one assist while starting all three games at the tournament. He was called into the Under-23 National Team in November 2011 for a camp in Germany, playing in a friendly with Azerbaijan. He trained with the U.S. Under-20 National Team in Florida prior to the start of the Galaxy preseason in January 2012.